Yesterday, as I was at my "katta" chatting with my friends, the topic of discussion suddenly moved on to "What would you like to be if you got a chance to choose your next birth?". We had a blast deciding for each one of us what he would choose to be - a dog ('coz then one won't have to wait for the opporunate time,place and partner to satisfy one's urge), a lion ('coz then one would be the king of the jungle), an ass ('coz then one won't have to worry why one's boss keeps calling him so) and so on.
But at night, as I was retiring for the day, the question caught me offguard. And I kept thinking what exactly I would like to be if I could choose my next birth! I am extremely proud of the way I am right now. I have a set of principles which I have ardently followed.No matter what the circumstances be, I have never compromised with my moral codes, ethics and principles.I have done a lot of self-introspection and have set for me High goals which are becoming to my potential.But then wasn't it easier for me to be moral?
What I mean is, I have never stolen anything 'coz partly I knew that it was wrong to steal and partly 'coz i never needed to steal.I have had decent upbringing and loving parents to provide for me, to fulfill most of my needs. What if I had to strive hard to get something as basic as food? What if I had to slog for hours doing all sorts of jobs to earn a few rupees at the end of the day?In such a situation, when stealing would be synonymous to easy money,relief from strainous jobs, ample time for one's ownself, would I still stick to my ethics and choose to slog for hours rather than steal? I frankly have no idea.
I feel, that most of us are good not because we are genuinely good but because we can't be bad!! It's the principle of ellimination at work.Let's take up an example, ( sorry for taking up an example showing male perspective.. but thats 'coz the female perspective is still way out of reach for me ;) ) Let's imagine that you are stranded on an island with a BEAUTIFUL BABE and there's no way out.For ther rest of your life you would be left alone with the babe for your company!! And as is natural you start wooing her.But she doesn't pay heed to your antics. She's like "I'll better die than be with you!!".Now what would you do? There's noone on island who could enforce law, there would be no punishment, no one punished and noone to punish!! What you choose would decide whether you are genuinely moral or not? isn't it?
I would love to face such a situation, where am free to choose anything amongst the good and the bad, without the intervention of a third party critic analysing my choice!! Hence, I would like to be a destitute in my next birth, and check for myself whether I would remain as moral and ethical as i am right now, while facing the challenges of an indigent life!!! What about you?? what would you like to be if you get a chance to choose your next birth??
But at night, as I was retiring for the day, the question caught me offguard. And I kept thinking what exactly I would like to be if I could choose my next birth! I am extremely proud of the way I am right now. I have a set of principles which I have ardently followed.No matter what the circumstances be, I have never compromised with my moral codes, ethics and principles.I have done a lot of self-introspection and have set for me High goals which are becoming to my potential.But then wasn't it easier for me to be moral?
What I mean is, I have never stolen anything 'coz partly I knew that it was wrong to steal and partly 'coz i never needed to steal.I have had decent upbringing and loving parents to provide for me, to fulfill most of my needs. What if I had to strive hard to get something as basic as food? What if I had to slog for hours doing all sorts of jobs to earn a few rupees at the end of the day?In such a situation, when stealing would be synonymous to easy money,relief from strainous jobs, ample time for one's ownself, would I still stick to my ethics and choose to slog for hours rather than steal? I frankly have no idea.
I feel, that most of us are good not because we are genuinely good but because we can't be bad!! It's the principle of ellimination at work.Let's take up an example, ( sorry for taking up an example showing male perspective.. but thats 'coz the female perspective is still way out of reach for me ;) ) Let's imagine that you are stranded on an island with a BEAUTIFUL BABE and there's no way out.For ther rest of your life you would be left alone with the babe for your company!! And as is natural you start wooing her.But she doesn't pay heed to your antics. She's like "I'll better die than be with you!!".Now what would you do? There's noone on island who could enforce law, there would be no punishment, no one punished and noone to punish!! What you choose would decide whether you are genuinely moral or not? isn't it?
I would love to face such a situation, where am free to choose anything amongst the good and the bad, without the intervention of a third party critic analysing my choice!! Hence, I would like to be a destitute in my next birth, and check for myself whether I would remain as moral and ethical as i am right now, while facing the challenges of an indigent life!!! What about you?? what would you like to be if you get a chance to choose your next birth??
Comments
It was either for to make other's aware that just because you do it, am not going to sit and listen. To prove to the others that you just can't walk away with anything, that you are not the leader, that you have to be just, something which may require you to be not moral, that you can't just ask me to do what you want me to do.
Soooo, maybe in my next birth, I would just like to be a dude with the strength of determination that surpasses all beliefs and I come out on top to be the best of the best.
That was the questions which has haunted most of us ..
Rather I would like to say almost all of us .
I would love to be in such a position .
"Everyone (or most) are only as good (or as bad) as the situation allows them to be"